Dear Marc,
>I'm a newbie in this list...
WELCOME / BIENVENU!!!
that I found making research on ...medieval
>cats.
A very important subject, dear to my heart; I co-own four cats (or I should say, they
co-own me!)
It was the subject of my thesis in Paris and I am writing a book
>from it. I was very surprised to browse all messages about cats in this
>list (may be an heritage of anglo-saxon tradition of love to nature
>and animals ?). In spite of the numerous sources that I already found
>(in all kinds of texts (litterature, medecine, iconography,
>archaeology...) , I still discover new treasures sometimes. I had a
>hope with Julian of Norwich but all references about her and cats are
>moderns (Anniina Jokinen' information). I know that cats would lickind
>toads and serpents (Hildegard), I know of course the beautiful poem
>about Pangur and the mention of the Ancrene Wisse ; I found many
>mentions of excoriating cats and also of diabolic cats even in medieval
>times but I never heard about Berthold von Regensburg's sermon against
>cats. I will very grateful to Jim Marchand if he can indicate me an
>edition of this sermon.
Although I am not Jim Marchand, I am pleased to help you as I am able. I have the
reference via an English translation of an extract of a sermon by Berthold, in *A
Medieval Garner*, ed. G.G. Coulton (London, 1910), p. 354-360 (cf the edition of
Berthold's sermons by Franz Pfeiffer, Wien 1862, vol. 1, p. 393). The sermon is not
about cats, but deals with the nature of heresy and heretics. For this reason,
Berthold expounds on the reasons why heretics were known as 'Ketzer' in Germany, and
draws on the similarities he perceives between cats and heretics.
All good wishes,
George
PS: Berthold is clearly wrong! :-)
George Ferzoco tel ++ 44 (0)116 252 2654
Director of Italian Studies fax ++ 44 (0)116 252 3633
University of Leicester e-mail [log in to unmask]
School of Modern Languages
LEICESTER LE1 7RH
UNITED KINGDOM
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